Jack wolfed down a couple of tacos, but he felt grubby and sore and definitely in need of a shower, so he excused himself as soon as he'd taken the edge off his hunger.

"Don't eat all the burritos," he told Ian as he stood up.

"There aren't many left," Ian said, gesturing to the stack of five. "I don't know... Sam's pretty hungry and you wouldn't deny her anything, would you?"

"Sam..."

"Hmmm?"

"Don't let him eat all the burritos..."

She smiled.

"No promises, Jack... he's pretty strong, you know? I'm not sure I could keep him-"

"Forget it."

Jack grabbed two of the burritos, kissed Sam, and then headed for the bedroom to get something to change into.

"Where's my kiss?" Ian yelled after him.

Sam smiled, and leaned over and pressed a kiss against his cheek and was amused to see him blush.

"Better?"

He grinned, well aware he was turning red and that she knew it.

"He's a lucky guy."

Now it was Sam's turn to blush, and Ian chuckled.

"I thought River was supposed to be the smooth one?" She teased, reaching for another taco. Maybe Taco Bell wasn't such a bad idea.

Ian shrugged.

"I'm okay when there's no one around – it's people that tend to set me off."

She smiled, well aware that he'd just paid her a compliment without realizing it. Obviously he was comfortable around her and didn't include her in the annoyances that 'set him off'. Probably he felt the same way around Jack as well.

"You'd better not eat all the tacos, either!"

Jack had a final say as he headed from the bedroom to the bathroom, wearing nothing but a pair of shorts.

"I'm eating the last one now," Sam called as he shut the bathroom door. They could hear him groan in dismay and shared a smile. "I'd better get that boiling pot taken care of," she said, standing up. "You sure you're up for another meal? I could just put it in the fridge and we can have it for lunch tomorrow."

He shook his head.

"I'll eat anything you put in front of me, Sam. We missed lunch, you know?"

"Yeah."

She headed into the kitchen, and Ian finished the taco he'd been eating, then wiped his hands on his jeans and picked up one of the books he'd borrowed from Daniel.

"Pyramids and our Past..."

Not the catchiest title, but then Ian had never written a book himself, so who was he to complain about the title of someone else's? Titles were probably hard to come up with. Especially with all the other books out there. Probably every good title with the word pyramid had been taken and Daniel had been forced to be creative – more or less. More less. Ian leaned back against a cushion and opened the book, reading the jacket first and then looking at the horrid picture of Daniel on the back of the book. Way too much hair, and even in black and white he looked pale and geeky – he looked a bit better now.

He'd taken his shoes off at the door – they'd been soaked and he hadn't wanted to get the carpet dirty if he could avoid it – so he put his feet up on the coffee table, and got comfortable as he opened the book to the first chapter. Jaffer hopped up beside him, still eyeing the bag of remaining food on the table and anxious to get a better perspective on how many were left. If no one wanted them, after all, he was more than willing to clean them up. Who knew what would happen if that Mexican food was allowed a chance to consider expansion and development... maybe world wide chaos...

Ian slid his free hand along Jaffer's shoulder, reminding him that he was there and that Jack wanted a couple of the tacos. Jaffer sighed, and rested his head on Ian's thigh, right next to the edge of the book. He'd bide his time. Oh yes... he would...

By the time Sam was done adding noodles to the boiling water and cleaning up what little mess had been made in her preparations, Ian's strenuous day and sleepless night had caught up to him and he'd dozed off, still on the first page of the book.

Sam noticed immediately when she reentered the living room and smiled down at him, but she didn't wake him up and she didn't cover him. The house was warm enough that he wouldn't be chilled, and she didn't want to disturb him. She knew he hadn't had much sleep the night before, and figured he could use the rest. She gathered up the last of the Taco Bell food and took it into the kitchen – much to Jaffer's annoyance – and then settled into the easy chair, with Daniel's other book in her hand. Might as well read it again, huh?

OOOOOOOO

"What? Did Daniel's book bore him to death?"

Sam smiled, but put her finger to her lips to hush him. Jack had come out of the shower only half an hour later – a short shower for him – and had noticed how quiet it was and had gone to investigate why. He'd seen Sam reading, and then saw Ian sleeping with the book still open and lying in his lap.

"He's sleeping, not dead."

"I can't wait to tell Daniel." Jack whispered, grinning.

"I'm sure it wasn't the reading material."

"It'd put me to sleep." He went into the kitchen, and checked the soup Sam was making. The noodles were done so the soup was as well – but Jack wasn't hungry. He was tired, and ready to call it a night. The shower had taken away a lot of the aches and pains from the day, leaving him warm and ready for bed.

Sam came up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, looking around his shoulder at the kettle and soaking up the warmth of his still damp skin.

"Are you hungry?"

He shook his head.

"I'm tired. Will this keep in the fridge? Or should we wake Ian up and make him eat?"

"It'll be fine until tomorrow," she told him. "But we should wake him up and send him to bed."

"What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to tuck you in, and then come out here and finish the book I'm reading."

"I thought you've already read Daniel's books?"

"I'm into it, so I might as well finish it."

"It ends with him being right."

She smiled.

"That's not the book I'm reading. Go wake him up and send him to bed. I'll take care of the soup."

He turned in her arms and hugged her closely for a long moment.

"Yes, Ma'am."

Sam pulled his head down and stole a kiss before she let him go, and then shooed him out of the kitchen before he could distract her.

Jack walked over and leaned over the back of the couch, his hand resting on Ian's shoulder.

"Ian?"

Nothing.

He shook the shoulder a little, trying to be gentle and not startle him awake – which might keep him from going right back to sleep.

"Ian, wake up."

One eye opened, and looked up at him.

"Hmm?"

"Go to bed..." Jack whispered.

"I'm not tired..." The eye closed and Jack was pretty sure he'd already dozed off once more. He grinned, and came around the couch, taking the book from the cadet's limp hands and shaking his shoulder once more.

"Come on, kiddo, you need as much beauty sleep as you can get..."

The moment Ian's eyes opened again, Jack hauled him to his feet and helped him down the hall and into 'his' room. The cadet walked, but Jack was pretty sure he was about as not awake as he could be and still be moving. As O'Neill pulled the blankets back and then covered him up, Ian seemed to wake up just a little bit, though. At least, he raised his head from the pillow, and looked around.

"I can't sleep..." He muttered, right before lowering his head to the pillow once more and closing his eyes. Jack smiled, and covered him up.

"Looks like you're doing a good job of it, if you ask me."

He turned off the light and closed the door silently behind him as he left the cadet to his rest.